Case cleaning apparatus



Oct. 18, 1966 A. DREW 3,278,971

CASE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 13, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

INVENTOR. AoRlAN nREw wovaQura/trf Oct. `18, 17966 A. DREW 3,278,971

CASE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 15, 1964 4 sheets-sheet a INVENTOR.` ADRIAN D R EW BY 7i?? LUM Atty Oct. 18, 1966 Y A. DREW 3,278,971

CASE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 13, 1964 A 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ADRIAN DREW BY glia LUM Oct. 18, 1966 A. DREW CASE CLEANING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 13, 1964 INVENTOR. ADRIAN DREW BY :3v/.3.10

United States Patent O 3,278,971 CASE CLEANING APPARATUS Adrian Drew, 696 Linwood Ave., St. Paul, Minn. Filed July 13, 1964, Ser. No. 382,057 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-304) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning containers such as bottle cases and more particularly relates to an apparatus for inverting bottle cases and similar articles and returning the same to original upright position so as to dislodge and dump any such dirt, dust, trash or other foreign matter out of the cases.

In bottling plants returnable cases of empty bottles are received at various times from consumer sources and the bottles are conventionally removed from the cases for cleaning and refilling. In the course of usage dirt, paper and refuse accumulate in and on beverage cases themselves and the cases have to be cleaned before being used again.

Attempts have previously been made to clean beverage cases in quantity but these have been unsuccessful in that much manual labor and excessive floor space are required in feeding the cases to a cleaning device in cleaning the cases and withdrawing the cases for subsequent use. While mechanical cleaning devices of various types have been proposed they are not very eiiicient and do not entirely eliminate manual handling operations. Moreover the mechanical cleaning devices of the prior art often did not clean the inside and provide means at the same time so that the refuse can be easily collected so as to prevent polluting of the air around the machine.

It is an object of the invention to provide a complete automatic machine for cleaning work objects such as beverage cases and the like in which manual labor is substantially entirely eliminated and not too much floor space occupied.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the character described for receiving from a conveyor and successively feeding cases to a slideway for inverting each successive case and means for contacting the sides of a case for movement while the cases are being cleaned and thereafter returning the cases to their original position.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the case vibrator;

FIGURE 4 is a view of detail of belt support member with parts broken away;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the conveyor drive and support with part of conveyor belt broken away;

FIGURE 6 is a top view of one of the case conveyors;

FIGURE 7 is a side view of the apparatus showing a means for activating high velocity air control with parts broken away.

A clear conception of the construction of a beverage case cleaner embodying the present invention and of the mode of operating the same may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views. As shown there is a conventional type conveyor 10 which receives beverage cases 12 after the returned bottles have been removed for Washing. The top 14 of the beverage case is in the open position while moving along conveyor 10.

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The case cleaning machine includes frame members 22, 24, 26 and 28 which support rail members 18 and 20.

The beer case 12 is of the type which is fabricated from a heavy grade of paperboard material having a pair of hinged top aps which meet at the center of the case when in closed position. In handling cases of this type the tops or flaps 12 may be opened by hand or the receiving line may be provided with means for opening the flaps such that they are advanced to the bottle removing machine. The cases approach the cleaning machine with the flaps spread outwardly as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. As the cases are advanced to the cleaning machine they pass from the end of conveyor 10. The cases after being discharged from the conveyor pass by gravity down the C-shaped slide formed by bars, rods or the like 18 and 20. It is apparent that in passing through the C-shaped slide from its upper portion to its lower portion the case which before entering the slide was upright with its opening uppermost is turned through an angle of 180 degrees to the position shown in FIGURE 2 (lower case), with its opening downward. The cases continue out of the slide and are contacted on the sides by conveyor belts 36. The conveyor belts 36 discharge the cases onto conveyor belt 42. This conveyor belt 42 discharges the cases 12 to a lower conveyor and during the transfer from the conveyor 42 to the lower conveyor the cases 12 are again turned 180 degrees. The case is now cleaned and has the opening upwardly.

The rollers 64 are carried by arms 63, shaft 66 to which is connected arm 68 shown in detail in FIGURE 4.

During the period which the cases 12 are being moved the cases are vibrated and high velocity air is projected into the interior of the cases to blow out any foreign material.

The vibrator support rail 78 has connected thereto vibrating plate 8l) through the medium of coiled or suitable spring members 82. To insure that the case 12 clears vibrating plate 80 a guard member 92 is hingedly attached at 96 to member 98. Member 98 is attached to and depending downwardly from member 78. The free end of member 92 is formed so as to be substantially parallel to vibrating plate 80. The guard member 92 is also attached to member 7 8 by spring 100 which normally urges the guard 92 to the position shown in FIGURE 3. A spring 81 is connected to guard member 92 and to plate 80 so as to hold the guard member in the proper relationship to the vibrating plate 80. High velocity air entering through pipe causes ball-like member 88 to move within circular chamber 86 of members 84. The member S4 is attached to vibrating plate 80 by any suitable means. The high velocity air moving ball 88 forces the plate 80 to be vibrated. The springs 82 tend to urge the plate upwardly and the high velocity air forces the plate downwardly and vibrates the plate 80.

The cases passing between belts 32 4are supported on spaced rods, bars or the like 60 and 62. The spacing and arrangement of the bars 60 and 62 insures the removal of all foreign material to the collecting container 38.

The conveyor belts 36 are driven by a pulley 58 spaced apart as shown in FIGURE 5 so that the V-shaped portion of the belt rides between the pulleys 58. The pulleys 58 are driven through shaft 34 from a source, not shown. The outer end of shaft 34 is supported by member 32 suitably attached to the frame member 26.

To hold the belts 36 in close contact with the cases rollers 64 carried by arms 63 force the belts toward the cases 12. Arms 63 are pivotally mounted on shaft 66 and arm 68 being operatively connected to shaft 66 urge the rollers 64 to the position shown in FIGURE 6 under the influence of springs 70. As the cases between the belts 36 force the belts outwardly from the position shown Y in FIGURE 6 the belts would tend to become dislodged from the pulleys 58. To overcome this tendency rollers 64 (similar -to that shown in FIGURE 4) through arms 63 and 74 under the inlluence of spring 76 keeps the belts 36 securely on the pulleys 58. The arms 63 and 74 are pivotally connected at 72 so that they act in unison.

When a case 12 reaches the vibrator the case comes into contact with a suitable switch 102 which acts to turn on the high velocity air which vibrates the bottom of the case and-projects from blow pipe 104 into the interior of the case 12. An exhaust fan 56 is connected to the collecting chamber 38 to eliminate dust around the machine. It is to be understood that an electrical vibrator may be used in place of air vibrator where quieter operation is required.

In operation the empty beer cases 12 with the tops open are delivered to the slide where they move by gravity until they are contacted by belts 36. At this time the cases 12 `are inverted, i.e. with the open tops downwardly. The

high velocity air blowing into the interior of the case and the vibration against the bottom loosens any refuse and discharges it into receiver 38. The inverted cases are received by conveyor generally indicated at 40 at which time the bottom of case can be inspected. The cases are discharged from conveyor belt 42 and slid down member 46. An end of the case 12 strikes substantially horizontally extending member 50 which is of less width than the end of case 12. The cases are properly guided by rail members 48 as they are deposited upon lower run of conveyor belt 42 with open top upwardly. The cleaned case is now ready for reuse.

What is claimed:

1. A container cleaning device Vcomprising a substantially C shaped chute for receiving containers having opened tops and turning the containers about 180 degrees during the travel through the chute, spaced rod-like members at the discharge end of the said chute over which containers move, means on longitudinal sides of the rodlike members for moving a container thereacross, spring controlled means for holding the container moving means in close Contact with the container being moved, spring actuated means for holding the moving means taut in operating position, a vibrator contacting the container moving across the rod-like members, an air jet for discharging air into the container during vibration, a conveyor having a discharge end for receiving containers from the rod-like members, a second conveyor positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor and a x'ed shelflike member in the fall space between the first conveyor and the second conveyor, containers striking the shelf-like members during the fall from the first conveyor whereby a container turns about degrees.

2. A device for removing material from containers having an opened top comprising a substantially C shaped container chute for receiving a container and turning the container through 180 degrees to an upside down position, spaced members at the discharge end of the C shaped chute over which the container moves, container belt contacting means positioned along opposite sides of the spaced members, means biasing the belt against the container, the said container contacting belts moving the container over the spaced members, spring biased means holding the belts in a tightened position, a vibrator contacting the bottom of container for vibrating the container, air jets for discharging air into the open side of the container while being vibrated, a conveyor for receiving container from the spaced members, a second conveyor for receiving container from the rst conveyor, the said second conveyor positioned in a plane lower than the rst conveyor; and a container striking member positioned in a plane between the two conveyors whereby a container striking the container striking member is turned 180 degrees from the position of the container on the rst conveyor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,519,154 12/1924 Mitton. 2,734,213 2/ 1956 Ashford 15-304 2,935,215 5/1960 Rofse 214-308 X 2,982,985 5/ 1961 Hohenadel et al 15-308 3,018,200 1/1962 Huddle 15-308 X ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER CLEANING DEVICE COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY "C" SHAPED CHUTE FOR RECEIVING CONTAINERS HAVING OPENED TOPS AND TURNING THE CONTAINERS ABOUT 180 DEGREES DURING THE TRAVEL THROUGH THE CHUTE, SPACED ROD-LIKE MEMBERS AT THE DISCHARGE END OF THE SAID CHUTE OVER WHICH CONTAINERS MOVE, MEANS ON LONGITUDINAL SIDES OF THE RODLIKE MEMBERS FOR MOVING A CONTAINER THEREACROSS, SPRING CONTROLLED MEANS FOR HOLDING THE CONTAINER MOVING MEANS IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE CONTAINER BEING MOVED, SPRING ACTUATED MEANS FOR HOLDING THE MOVING MEANS TAUT IN OPERATING POSITION, A VIBRATOR CONTACTING THE CONTAINER MOVING ACROSS THE ROD-LIKE MEMBERS, AN AIR JET FOR DISCHARGING AIR INTO THE CONTAINER DURING VIBRATION, A CONVEYOR HAVING A DISCHARGE END OF RECEIVING CONTAINERS FROM THE ROD-LIKE MEMBERS, A SECOND CONVEYOR POSITIONED BELOW THE DISCHARGE END OF THE FIRST CONVEYOR AND A FIXED SHELFLIKE MEMBER IN THE FALL SPACE BETWEEN THE FIRST CONVEYOR AND THE SECOND CONVEYOR, CONTAINERS STRIKING THE SHELF-LIKE MEMBERS DURING THE FALL FROM THE FIRST CONVEYOR WHEREBY A CONTAINER TURNS ABOUT 180 DEGREES. 